The Detroit Pistons have claimed Beno Udrih off waivers, per The Vertical's Shams Charania. Udrih will be their backup point guard while Reggie Jackson misses the first few weeks of the season because of a left knee injury.
The Pistons can thank the Miami Heat, who waived Udrih on Saturday, electing to give Rodney McGruder their final roster spot. Detroit was in serious need of guard depth, and Udrih fits its pick-and-roll system perfectly. Like Ish Smith, who will start in place of Jackson, Udrih is difficult to keep out of the paint in pick-and-roll situations. Unlike Smith, he prefers to pull up for mid-range jumpers rather than going all the way to the rim.
One issue here: Udrih is coming off season-ending foot surgery, and even before that injury, he lacked the quickness necessary to be a solid defender at his position. The Pistons aim to make a big leap on the defensive end this season, and that could be difficult to do if they're giving up dribble penetration all game. Still, this was a nice pickup.
Detroit will have to waive someone to make room for Udrih. The likely candidate is Ray McCallum Jr., who was informed he'd won the battle for the last roster spot on the weekend. The NBA is a tough business.
